What It Takes To Declutter And Organize Your Fridge Once And For All

You might start with the best of intentions, but it doesn't take long for your fridge to fall into a state of disarray. To find out what it takes to declutter your fridge once and for all, we sat down for an exclusive chat with Alexis Rochester, an investigative chemist and the owner of Chemistry Cachet. Before organizing, she suggests cleaning out your fridge first. "I think too much clutter is one of the reasons people feel stuck in a rut with messiness in their kitchen. Too many things on the counter, too many things in the fridge can make it overwhelming to clean or keep clean," she says. In the kitchen, especially, less is more. Stick to the things you need and use up or toss those you don't to avoid falling back on old habits.

To get your fridge into tip-top shape, next decide what food you want on which shelves. "Organize your refrigerator by assigning specific shelves for dairy, meats, and vegetables to prevent cross-contamination and keep similar items together," she says. Storing food on a random shelf doesn't just get confusing; it might be one of the storage mistakes that are ruining your food. To keep your food safe, keep meat separate from ready-to-eat items. 

Next, bring in the help of outside bins and containers. "Enhance this system with clear containers, bins, and labels so you can easily find what you need. Being able to keep everything in a certain spot and using clear containers helps me keep everything organized more quickly," Rochester says.

Keeping your food stored in clear bins on designated shelves is a great start to keeping your fridge organized, but it's not a one-and-done situation after you've put everything away. To make sure you stick to your organizational plan, Alexis Rochester says it's important to hold yourself accountable. Regularly cleaning your fridge is a great way to check on the state of the space and reorganize as needed. "If you keep your refrigerator clean on top of the organizing, it will make it stay that way longer. A clean fridge is really the key to a tidy fridge," she says. 

If you're periodically cleaning your fridge, it'll give you a chance to take stock of your organizational system to see if it's really working. Stick to your cleaning product of choice, but if you don't have one that you love, Rochester has a go-to product of her own. "I use a DIY Cleaner with citric acid and dish soap that makes everything smell wonderful and cleans all parts," she says.

With the help of designated shelves, clear bins, and periodic cleaning, you can maintain the organized fridge of your dreams. Once you've got the basics down, dive into these 12 other creative ways to organize your fridge.